


Under One Roof

by sailonforever



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake Marriage, Falling In Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 07:19:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13712691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailonforever/pseuds/sailonforever
Summary: Two polar-opposite individuals, Haymitch and Effie, are forced to live together when they find themselves appointed as guardians to two children, Katniss and Primrose. Not only do they need to learn how to parent a temperamental teenager and her sweet younger sister, they also need to figure out how to handle the pesky attraction between them. HAYFFIE AU.





	1. Mother Knows Best

It is a truth universally acknowledged that one must never bother a woman who is running her last lap on the treadmill. Yet, apparently, someone in the universe did not get the memo, because Effie Trinket's phone had been ringing incessantly for the last twenty minutes. With a sigh, she stepped away from the exercise machine, and picked up her phone, much to the dismay of the young men lifting weights behind her. She either did not take notice of them or she simply did not care for them, as she walked away nonchalantly. But really, it was probably the latter.

"Portia, this better be important." Effie griped, struggling to untie her shoelaces, while balancing her phone between her shoulder and her cheek.

"It is. Come back to the office as soon as you can. Please."

"What's the matter?" Effie frowned, not at all used to the frantic tone her assistant was using. "Is it the Snow vs Coin case? I told you, Plutarch knows what he's doing. I have already prepared the case files and..."

"No, no, Effie," Portia cut her off, "it's to do with Isla Everdeen."

Effie froze, "Isla Everdeen? What about her?"

The last time Effie had spoken to Isla, she had promised to visit her and her girls again soon. Soon turned out to be never, as the Snow vs Coin case emerged and Effie was plunged back into working overtime at the law firm. The Everdeen family was the last thing on her mind that morning.

Isla Everdeen was a client of Effie Trinket. Or rather, Effie Trinket was assigned to be Isla Everdeen's lawyer. When Dalon Everdeen passed away in a tragic bombing incident in Afghanistan, the Army hired Heavensbee & Cardew to settle his will and last affairs. The young widow was a total mess after her husband's death, and Effie could not help but pity the grieving family. Her already frequent visits to the Everdeen's home to finalise the compensation from the Army increased, and she soon found herself buying groceries and driving the Everdeen girls to school. Most of the time though, she sat by Isla Everdeen silently, listening to the woman's earnest but slightly psychotic ramblings about her late husband. Of course, once all the documents had been settled, and the new court case came in, Effie no longer had the luxury of time to visit the poor woman.

"Effie, Isla Everdeen attempted suicide this morning."

Effie sucked in a breath. It felt very cold all of a sudden.

"How...what...how is she?" Effie finally replied, closing her eyes to prepare for the worst. She could not imagine going back to the Everdeen's house and telling the two young girls that their mother was dead. It had barely been a year since their father's death. It would be too cruel, too painful, too unfair.

"She's in the intensive care, but her condition's stable." Portia announced.

Effie let out a breath she did not know she had been holding.

Portia continued, "The thing is social service has caught wind of it, and they deem Isla Everdeen too unstable to take care of the girls."

"And where are the girls now?" Effie asked, packing her belongings to head back to the office as quickly as possible.

"With a neighbour. Effie, the reason I called is because," Portia paused, trying her best to break the news to Effie. "In her suicide note, Isla Everdeen named you as the legal guardian to her children."

There was a long pause and Portia only heard some shuffling and the start of an engine.

"I'm coming back."

* * *

 

The clicking of high heels on the marble tile signified that Heavensbee & Cardew's top lawyer was back for business. Effie Trinket swept past her nosy colleagues, intent only on finding her assistant.

"What are my options?" Effie asked, once she caught sight of Portia.

The young legal assistant placed three stacks of documents on Effie's table and started reeling off her findings.

"It's simple, really. You can either take the girls in, or they'll be off to foster care. You have 30 days to decide. Once the time period is over, social service will have complete control over the fates of the girls. They can't guarantee Katniss and Primrose will be kept together."

Effie flipped through the documents and sighed. Everyone in this industry knew how bad it can get in foster care.

"Surely there are other options. Relatives? Or friends? How about the neighbour they are staying with?"

"I've checked, they have no living relatives and the neighbour they're staying with now doesn't want to take them in for the long term. Basically, it's all down to you." Portia shrugged, placing a hand on Effie's shoulder.

"You know I can't. I'm not prepared for this. There's still the Snow case, and I need to head to Berlin next week to meet Coin's associates. And the Webberson's divorce, there was a change in agreement, I'll email you the updated settlement...I…I can't...I can't take care of two children, Portia." Effie finally admitted, hoping that her assistant will understand the dilemma she was in.

"Not to mention your wedding next month...don't tell me you forgot about that!" Portia shook her head as Effie blushed.

"Alright, I saw something in the files I thought you should know. But I can't guarantee it will fix everything." Portia flipped through the notes until she reached Dalon Everdeen's will.

Suddenly, Effie knew where this was heading towards.

"Haymitch Abernathy." She breathed. She had thought she had heard the last of him, but apparently not. The man was determined to be a thorn in her flesh, whether he knew it or not.

"Exactly!" Portia replied, pointing to a specific line on the paper. "In the event Isla and I are unable to be there for our children, I'd like Haymitch Abernathy to be their legal guardian."

"But...but Haymitch Abernathy is a rude, foul man who shouldn't be put in charge of children!"

Portia raised one perfectly drawn eyebrow. "He's also a good man, you said so yourself. It's better than foster care in any case."

"I did not say he was a good man, I simply said he wasn't a bad one." Effie refuted. "But yes, I see where you're coming from. Shall we arrange a meeting with him and his lawyer?"

"Done. I called Cinna before you arrived." Portia winked, "looking forward to seeing Abernathy?"

"Absolutely not!" Effie huffed, settling back into her chair. It was going to be a long, long week.

* * *

 

Seneca Crane leaned casually on his palm as he watched Effie put on her earrings at the dressing table. He was still lying naked in bed, half-drunk on post coital bliss.

"Seneca, dear, would you hurry please? Caesar is expecting us at seven." Effie complained, turning to glare at the man.

She had been gradually feeling more and more irritated by Seneca as their wedding approached, which really did not make any sense. Seneca had been a perfect gentleman and he had been extremely patient with Effie's busy schedule, taking the initiative to plan the wedding and to send the invites. Seneca was nice and smart and rich, and really, he was perfect in every sense of the word. Their imminent wedding was the talk of the town but still…Effie felt hollow, and the looming wedding bells only served to make the ache feel even more apparent. The sex was good, but not wonderful. He made her smile, but not laugh. In essence, Effie realised with a certain clarity, Seneca made her feel…lukewarm.

"It's good that Portia found that loophole with Abernathy. Can you imagine me with children?" Seneca spat the last word with disgust, tossing aside the blanket to stand up.

Effie startled and dropped her eyeliner. She chided herself silently for daring to think those thoughts about Seneca. She blamed that good-for-nothing Haymitch Abernathy. He always found a way to worm into her thoughts and make her feel dissatisfied. Wasn't it Haymitch that had first made her doubt her engagement to Seneca?

"My new Fendi Kesa settee will be destroyed with those grimy hands touching it. My, my, I bet those little monsters won't even be able to differentiate between a Fendi Kesa masterpiece and some trash from IKEA." Seneca smirked in a self-congratulatory way, and continued to boast about his expensive furniture.

Effie rolled her eyes. Seneca could be so pretentious at times. She could practically hear Haymitch snorting and calling Seneca a very rude word.

"In any case, darling, you are hardly a maternal figure." Seneca laughed.

Effie turned her head at once, staring at Seneca, with her lipstick in her hand.

"I'm sorry, what do you mean by that?" she spoke coldly, but it seemed as though Seneca was oblivious to her annoyance.

"It's obvious, isn't it? Effie, you have no maternal instincts at all. Zilch!" Seneca clapped his hands together to emphasise his point.

"Why, I do believe I am capable of raising a child, maybe not right now, but eventually. So thank you very much for having the faith in me, Seneca." Effie snapped, standing up to face her fiancé.

Seneca simply responded by raising an eyebrow and uttering a condescending "of course, dear."

That was it for Effie.

"You know what, Seneca, I am done with you. I am done with listening to you boast about your stupid furniture and cars. I am done with lousy orgasms and boring conversations and scheduled sex." Effie poked Seneca not so gently in the chest.

A few months ago, when Effie had announced her engagement to Isla Everdeen, Haymitch Abernathy had also happened to be there to hear the good news.

"Congrats sweetheart," Haymitch had said, "finally found someone to marry you."

"Speak for yourself," Effie had replied, "Seneca is a perfect gentleman, unlike someone in this room."

Haymitch had then snorted, lumbered up to her and placed his lips right next to her ear. "Bet he can't make you feel good. You two probably have scheduled sex."

Effie had immediately whacked Haymitch on the shoulder and announced how improper it was for him to talk about her personal life. But the damage was done, Haymitch knew, and Effie quickly fled the house in embarrassment, convincing herself that there was absolutely nothing wrong with scheduled sex. After all, both Seneca and she were busy people, unlike a certain Mr. Abernathy.

Effie shook her head. Why in the world was she thinking about that alcoholic again? She looked up and glared at Seneca, grabbed her purse and headed toward the door. Her legs felt wobbly but she knew she could not afford to look weak at that particular moment.

"We are over, Seneca. Cancel the wedding, everything. And you know what, I am going to adopt the kids and I am going to be a good maternal figure to them. Goodbye Seneca, I do not wish to see you again." With those last words, and her head held high, Effie walked out of the apartment and stumbled into her car.

"Hello Portia," she croaked into her phone, "I want to fight for the kids. And by the way, can you come over to my apartment with some wine and ice-cream? I think I just broke up with Seneca."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, thank you for reading the first chapter of Under One Roof. I have previously posted on ff.net, but I have decided to export my work here! As you probably have known already, I took the liberty to name Mr and Mrs Everdeen and I hope you like the names I came up with. I tried to give the names a District 12 feel, but I don't know if it works. Please leave a comment, I will really appreciate it! Have a nice day :-)


	2. I'll be so good to you

Haymitch Abernathy was late as usual, and he really did not care, but Effie Trinket could be incredibly scary when she was angry. That woman was something. She might be tiny in stature, but she had a formidable spirit that somehow manifested in her choice of clothing. Not that Haymitch was complaining; the tight pencil skirt she was wearing showed off her bum very,  _very_  nicely.

"Are you listening to me?" Effie screeched.

Haymitch winced. Oh right, she was speaking to him.

"Really Mr. Abernathy, it's our third meeting and I cannot put up with your tardiness any longer. How do you think you can take care of two children when you act like a child yourself?"

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "I sincerely apologise, Ms. Euphemia Trinket." He smirked as Effie recoiled at his use of her full name. He knew how to get on her nerves and he made use of that knowledge  _very_  frequently. Too frequently, he mused, but it was worth seeing her lose her cool. "I was busy not getting married and not cancelling my wedding."

Effie gasped audibly, shocked that Haymitch had dared to speak of the taboo topic. It was funny really, her colleagues at the office had started using "you-know-what" to reference Effie's broken engagement. Someone, probably Octavia (she was always a little ditzy), had thought that they were talking about Voldemort. Not like that made any sense.

"You...you...you vile, audacious man!" Effie sputtered, scowling at Haymitch."This is absurd! The children cannot have you as a guardian, you are ill-mannered and dirty and..."

"Okay, okay, you two, stop flirting. Let's get down to business." Cinna commented at last, absolutely sick of waiting.

"I am not flirting!" Effie snapped, turning to glare at Cinna. Why in the world would she, Effie Trinket, associate attorney at the top Law firm in town, double awardee of the "Lawyer of The Year" award, be ever interested in that stupid, old doofus? They were all blind, every single one of them. Even Plutarch had started teasing Effie about Haymitch.

"Alright," Cinna continued, completely ignoring Effie. "We have one last week to decide, and it seems to me that we are in gridlock. As you all know, I am really hoping we do not have to take this matter to court. It will not do any party any good, and the children might very well be sent to foster care instead."

"You're just saying that because you know Haymitch will lose." Effie smiled at Portia's response. Sharp and to the point, her young friend was going to make it big someday.

"Not necessarily." Cinna sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Portia, Effie, We are not here to make enemies. We are all here for the good of the children, right?"

The pair nodded.

"Very well. As we all know, only one of you can take up the guardianship of the children. The court would deem it too messy and stressful for the kids if you want to split the guardianship."

Haymitch snorted. He had actually been the one to suggest the idea, but it had been promptly shot down by Cinna. The court was too damn stringent. A split guardianship was obviously better than foster care in any case. At least the sisters would be together.

"Effie, you know perfectly well that it takes a lot to take care of a child. Right now, we have two children, and they desperately need all the care and concern they can receive. I'm not saying you don't have the heart, but you know it's true that you don't have the time to take care of them." Cinna stared pointedly at Effie, trying to make her flinch.

Effie simply resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She had to admit that Cinna was a very skilled lawyer, but still, he was not as experienced as Effie. She knew every trick in the book and some out of it, and of course, she refused to yield.

"I will find the time. It's better than letting them stay with  _him_  and learning all  _his_  bad habits." Effie snarked.

"And if the kids stay with  _her_ , they're going to die of boredom. The stick's so far up her ass, I'm not even sure she knows what humour is." Haymitch chimed in.

Cinna groaned.

"Fine then, we shall meet in court." Effie replied smugly, folding her arms.

Cinna slumped into his chair. Why the hell did he agree to this?

* * *

The meeting continued on without much progress, thanks to the quarrels that tended to break out when either Haymitch or Effie started speaking.

"Okay, look." Portia finally interrupted, when Haymitch started mimicking Effie's accent. "We are going to take a short lunch break, and then we will continue this in the afternoon. I need some coffee. You two gave me a headache."

With that, Portia and Cinna hurried out of the meeting room, eager to escape the argument that was brewing again.

Effie gathered her files and got up to leave, but Haymitch blocked her way.

"Look, I have been thinking." He started.

"Well, congratulations." Effie snapped, completely ignoring Haymitch as she manoeuvred to reach the door.

"I have a proposal." Haymitch snatched her files away rudely, forcing her to face him. He took in a deep breath.

"Will you marry me?"

"What?!" Effie shrieked and stumbled back, crashing into a chair.

"That's my proposal." Haymitch shrugged, grabbing Effie's arm to help steady her. She could not help but notice how strong his grip was. His hands, they were rough like how Seneca's weren't.

She tore herself away from his grip and averted her eyes.

"This isn't funny, you know." She murmured. Despite how Effie acted in front of her friends and colleagues, breaking up with Seneca was painful. She knew she was the one who broke it off, but still, it hurt. There were years of memories between them and if there wasn't love, at least there was some fondness. Seneca hadn't even bothered to give Effie a call since the incident.

"I'm serious. We will do it for the children." Haymitch frowned, not at all used to Effie's sudden change in demeanour. For a moment there, she had looked almost...fragile.

"What do you mean?" Effie looked up, with a baffled look on her face.

"If we get married, we won't have to go through all that legal bullshit. We can adopt the kids right away." Haymitch sat on the table, staring intently at Effie. "If we go to court, the case might take weeks, hell, even months, to be resolved. The kids can't wait that long."

"But…But a marriage?" Effie inquired gingerly, still not totally convinced that Haymitch was not playing a cruel trick on her.

"Sweetheart, you're a lawyer. You of all people should know that marriage is just a piece of paper." Haymitch shrugged. "After this whole debacle, we can just get a divorce. All we need to do is sign some papers."

Effie let out a shaky breath. She did not totally buy the idea that marriage was just a piece of paper, but she understood what Haymitch was trying to say. It was almost scary how much sense Haymitch was making. He might be a rude drunk most of the time, but he could be incredibly astute when he wanted to be.

"And if we do," Effie considered her words carefully. "If we do get married, we will get the freedom to decide the guardianship of the children. The court wouldn't care who the children stay with. In the eyes of the law, both of us will gain custody."

Haymitch leapt off the table and grinned. "You know, Effie, I like you better when you're not being a bitch."

"I like you better sober." Effie retorted, and blushed instantly.

"Oh, so now you like me? Always knew you had a thing for bad boys, sweetheart." Haymitch wiggled his eyebrows playfully, watching Effie squirm.

"Please, you did not just call yourself a bad boy." Effie waved his comment away. The man was being terribly childish and she refused to play along.

Effie chewed on her lower lip. "So this is it then? Are we doing it?" She looked at Haymitch uncertainly.

"This is it." Haymitch nodded. "Welcome to your new life, Mrs. Abernathy."

There was a long, awkward pause before Effie ventured to speak again. The way she looked up at him, with those impossibly blue eyes, Haymitch was almost certain she was going to say something cheesy.

But of course, she was Effie Trinket, and she always managed to find a way to surprise him.

"I will draft a pre-nuptial agreement by Monday. Shall we meet on Wednesday at the Registry of Marriages? I will email you the time and all." Effie picked up her files and turned to leave.

"And by the way, I will still be using my maiden name, Mr. Abernathy." She winked and left the room.

That woman was infuriating.

* * *

Portia could not help but giggle, as Effie explained to her the agreement she made with Haymitch.

"I always knew there was something between you two!" Portia laughed, "I even made a bet with Cinna about how long it will take for you guys to get together."

Effie pursed her lips, but her assistant was too lost in her glee to notice.

"Thank goodness I bought that dress for…" Portia paused and evaluated her thoughts, but she decided to continue anyway. "You know, for you previous engagement. I will finally have a chance to wear it now!"

"You do realise we are not having a wedding right?" Effie furrowed her brows. "We are probably going to the Registry during lunch and be back before the break's over."

"Yeah, but you're going to need a witness to sign the papers," Portia smiled brightly at Effie. "And I know for the fact that Cinna is Haymitch's witness, so naturally, I'll be yours!"

"How exciting." Effie replied dryly.

"Yes it is!" Portia grabbed Effie's hand and sighed. "I wonder how Haymitch is preparing."

* * *

Chaff slapped Haymitch on the back and guffawed so loudly, the other customers in the pub turned to look in their direction.

"Let's raise a glass to Haymitch Abernathy," Chaff announced, lifting his glass. "Our lover boy here is getting married!"

The other patrons cheered and hooted, and some even approached Haymitch to offer their congratulations.

"Fuck you Chaff." Haymitch mumbled, burying his head into his hands, as another customer approached the pair. At least he managed to get some free drinks from the staff.

"Fuck you for not telling me earlier." Chaff chuckled, ordering another drink. "Frankly, I am fucking offended you didn't ask me to be your best man."

Haymitch groaned, taking another swig of his whiskey. "It's not like that. It's purely professional."

Chaff snorted. "Don't give me that bullshit. You like her."

Haymitch spluttered and some whiskey dribbled down his lips. He wiped it away with his sleeve and cringed almost instinctively. He could practically hear Effie complaining about his lack of manners. "Trinket? Seriously? She's a fucking spoilt brat."

"And yet you're marrying her." Chaff raised an eyebrow. He didn't understand Haymitch sometimes.

"That is unfortunately true, my friend," Haymitch lifted his glass and clinked it with Chaff's. "Here's to the last week of bachelorhood."'


	3. Fill Up My Senses

_The wind was whistling softly, as though it knew to be considerate towards the two lovers lying silently in the meadow. The sun was setting gently over the horizon, and it casted a lovely golden glow over the pair. The girl sighed and wrapped her arms around the boy's torso._

" _You promise you will write to me?" Pippa murmured, burying her head into Haymitch's chest. He smelled like home._

" _I promise." He replied, stroking his girl's hair softly. "I'll be back before you know it."_

" _You better."_

" _I will."_

* * *

"I will." Haymitch answered impatiently, as Effie continued nagging about the importance of being at the City Hall on time.

"I know you have the worst habit of being late," she remarked, "but for the sake of your well-being, you best arrive on time. I'm sending Cinna over at eleven just in case."

That damn woman was trying to henpeck him even before they have gotten married, and Haymitch would have none of that.

"Bzzzz bzzzz," Haymitch buzzed into his phone, "Oh shit, looks like I'm losing signal here. Can't talk, bye sweetheart!" With that, he hung up on Effie, smirking to himself triumphantly. He was a genius. Pure genius.

The two girls sitting on his couch were less impressed.

"Seriously," Katniss raised an eyebrow, "I can't believe you guys are getting married. You'll murder each other by day two."

The girls were _very_  familiar with Haymitch and Effie's infamous quarrels. In fact, they had even started counting the minutes, no, seconds, it took for the pair to start arguing once they were in the same room. The record currently stood at 47 seconds, but the girls were sure it was only a matter of time before the record would be broken again.

"I think they look cute together," Prim quietly mused, tilting her head to look at Haymitch curiously. "They are always talking about each other."

"I do not." Haymitch quickly denied, putting up his hands in defence. He and Effie Trinket definitely did not look "cute" together. She was a monster.

The girls gave him a pointed look.

Haymitch groaned, rubbing his face tiredly.

"I only do so because she annoys the fuck out of me, okay?" He finally relented. Anyone would do the same if they were in his situation. Effie Trinket was far too hot for someone so fucking annoying, and it drove him absolutely crazy.

His phone buzzed three times in succession and he rolled his eyes when he saw who was calling...again.  _Speak of the devil_.

The girls chuckled.

"Your wife's calling, Haymitch."

"Shut up."

* * *

"I thought there was supposed to be trust in a marriage?" Haymitch teased, as Effie adjusted his tie. The back of her fingers grazed his throat and he swallowed. Fuck, that woman was too damn close; he could smell her strawberry-scented shampoo. If he leaned down a little, their lips would…

"Not when the husband is a slob." Effie retorted, unknowingly interrupting his less than decent thoughts.

She smoothened his jacket and stood back to examine his attire. "You actually look acceptable for once." She finally admitted.

Cinna had insisted Haymitch put on a formal attire for the occasion. Normally Haymitch would have ignore such suggestions, but he was in a good mood and he did not wish to face Effie's wrath that afternoon. The faster this was over, the better.

"Like what you see, sweetheart?" He smirked. Effie pursed her lips, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. Somehow, without her knowing, her banter with Haymitch had developed from something stemming from anger to something almost playful. She hated to admit it, but she actually enjoyed the joshing.

"Aww you two," Portia interrupted, holding up a camera. "Look here."

The pair turned to look at Portia with mild annoyance. The woman was way too excited for the whole event, more so than the two of them combined. Effie had almost wanted to strangle her when she had announced to the whole office that Effie was getting married. Soon, the "you know what" gossip was replaced by rumours about Haymitch and Effie's whirlwind romance. Venia had even approached Effie discreetly to ask if she was pregnant. Effie had been absolutely scandalized and she spent an extra session at the gym that day. Portia had only laughed.

"Cute, you two have the same expression." The young woman sighed.

Haymitch furrowed his brows, and turned to Effie. They shared a look and Effie smiled back at him wryly.

"Got that too!" Portia said proudly to herself, admiring the photograph.

Haymitch frowned. Trinket's friend was weird.

* * *

Thankfully, the whole signing of papers was done in an efficient and almost clinical way, to the delight of the newly-wedded couple. On the other hand, Portia was beyond disappointed and she could not help but complain to Cinna about how unromantic the whole situation was. "Haymitch didn't even bother with a ring!" She grumbled. Cinna had nodded his head in sympathy, but the truth was, he was glad the whole fiasco was over.

"So we are going over to your apartment on the eleventh?" Katniss confirmed with Effie, as the kids and their guardians walked to their cars.

Effie faltered, gripping Katniss' arm tightly.

"I'm sorry dear, but can you remind me the date today?" Effie strained a smile. Something was clearly bothering her.

"It's the ninth."

"Shit."

Katniss' jaw dropped.

"Did I just hear you swear, sweetheart?" Haymitch jested, glancing back to look at the stationary pair.

Effie turned to the man slowly, her countenance as white as a sheet. She looked as though she was about to collapse.

Haymitch frowned and hurried toward her, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Effie?"

"I… I'm homeless." Effie's voice broke. "I'm homeless."

* * *

It turned out, Effie had sold her apartment a month ago, when she and Seneca had decided to move in together after their wedding. She had completely forgotten about her apartment, or rather, the impending loss of it, till Katniss mentioned the eleventh. The new owner was moving in on the eleventh.

"How did I forget about it?" Effie pinched her nose bridge, frustrated with her carelessness. "I could stay at a hotel temporarily…but the children…"

Haymitch leaned onto the car hood. "You could stay at my house."

Effie looked up in disbelief. "You hate me."

"Contrary to popular belief," Haymitch shrugged, "I don't."

He really did not. Sure the woman was the most annoying creature he had ever encountered, but she had a good heart. He could never hate someone with that.

"I would hate to be an inconvenience." She replied politely.

Effie knew that it was not wise to move in with Haymitch. For one, the obvious reason was that they would argue. A lot. Another part of herself, a quieter part, warned her that moving in with Haymitch would make things  _complicated_. Whatever that really means, even she did not truly know. Yet, there was also a small part of her that was excited with the idea.

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Already one." He mumbled under his breath.

"Look, sweetheart," he continued, "it's going to be temporary anyway. Once you find an apartment you can move right out."

Effie stared at him dubiously.

"I could use some help with the girls." Haymitch finally admitted. It was her decision to make anyway. He was not going to convince her or anything. If she expected him to beg…

"Okay." She breathed, surprising him with her quick decision. "But only because you need help with the girls." She added.

Haymitch grinned. "Anything you say, Mrs. Abernathy."

* * *

Haymitch did not know how he ended up mopping the floor on a Saturday aftermoon. But here he was, with a bandana around his forehead and a mop in his hands. If Chaff could see him, he would have slapped him on the back and called him "domesticated". And the sad thing was, he would have agreed.

"Haymitch, your house is disgusting!" Effie tiptoed around the wet areas to reach for a rag. "How do you stand living in this mess?"

She grimaced as she stepped onto something sticky, and she turned to give Haymitch a dirty look. It was as though she thought he was personally responsible for it.

He was, probably, but still…it was his house!

Effie Trinket was the bane of his existence.

As Effie continued yakking his ears off, Haymitch could not help but wonder if she had been sent by God as a test of his will or something. Or maybe she was from the devil, sent to torture him. Whatever the case, he wanted her out of his house and out of his life. He should never have offered her to stay at his house, he should have escaped half-way at the City Hall, he should not have proposed to her, he…

"Effie, we are done cleaning our room." Prim smiled sweetly at her guardian. "Katniss and I were just wondering if we could spend the rest of the time doing our homework."

Oh, those sneaky brats! He knew what they were up to, trying to escape cleaning. However, a quick glance at Effie confirmed what he already knew. Effie had been completely taken in by Prim's charming act.

"Of course, dear," Effie patted the twelve-year-old on the head and Prim struggled to maintain a smile. Haymitch almost let out a snort. "In any case, Haymitch here should be the only one doing any cleaning." Effie narrowed her eyes at him.

Haymitch rolled his eyes and moved away from the pair. He should invest in a good pair of ear plugs, he thought, if only to preserve his sanity.

* * *

"Where do I put my belongings, Haymitch?" Effie panted, as she struggled to carry her luggage up the stairs.

Haymitch had pretended not notice the trouble Effie had with her bags at first, but now, she looked so overwhelmed, Haymitch was afraid she would tumble down the stairs and die. He grabbed the largest piece of baggage from her and sucked in sharp breath as a searing pain shot up his back.  _Shit._ His old injury had probably been aggravated during the cleaning.

"Follow me." He wheezed, trying to cover up his pain, but Effie had noticed how his hand had moved to his lower back.

They entered the master bedroom and Effie widened her eyes in surprise.

"Where are you sleeping?" Effie asked. She could not possibly take the master bedroom. That would be rude, and ungracious and above all, Effie thought, too intimate.

"Couch." Haymitch grunted, leaning against the wall. He was beginning to doubt if he even had the strength to move there. The pain was almost unbearable.

Effie rushed to Haymitch's side as he slid down the wall. "Are you okay? What's happening?" She asked frantically, brushing away the hair that had fallen into his eyes.

He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it turned out more like a grimace. "Old injury, need to lie down." He hissed, as another wave of pain consumed him. Effie held his hand tightly as she watched the man stiffen in agony.

When the pain died down, Effie supported Haymitch as best as she could and helped him to the bed. She sat beside the man for a few moments, rubbing comforting circles on the back of his hand. Slowly, some colour returned to his cheeks.

"I will take the couch." Effie decided, standing up gently. He felt an immediate sense of loss.

"Sweetheart…" Haymitch grabbed her arm before she could leave. "Stay."

Effie's eyes widened in surprise, and Haymitch could see that there was a part of her that hesitated before she shook her head. Somehow, that small pause convinced him he needed to make her stay.

"The bed's big enough for two." He turned to point at the empty space beside him. "The couch isn't very comfortable."

Effie remained unconvinced, and she was about to speak again when Haymitch interrupted her.

"We could place pillows between us, if you want." He did not know what had come over him. The voice in his head was telling him to shut the fuck up and let her go, but somehow, he just could not.

It was the right thing to do, he tried to convince himself. The bed was far more comfortable and it was not as though they were doing anything.  _Yet._

The stupid voice in his head reminded him.

Effie bit down on her lower lip.

"You're okay with that?" She inquired.

He nodded.

* * *

As he felt her weight sink into the mattress, Haymitch knew at once that he had opened a can of worms that he had no interest in exploring at all. Yet, deep inside, he also knew that if he were given the chance again, he would do the same thing again and again and again.

And that thought scared him.

* * *

" _Say it again and again and again." Pippa demanded as Haymitch played with her hair._

_The sky had turned dark, but the pair of lovers was still lying in the meadow. If only they could do this forever…_

_Haymitch laughed, pulling the girl against him. He kissed her lips, and then her cheek and then her ear, and he whispered "I love you, I love you,_   _I love you."_

* * *


	4. Steal Some Covers

Humming quietly to herself, Effie fixed her daily brew of coffee and settled down comfortably into the chair in the kitchen. It had been a pleasant surprise to her when she had first noticed how fast she had adapted to her new life. Sure, privacy was practically non-existent in this household, and Haymitch was still as infuriating as ever, but she had also found herself enjoying the time she spent with the kids, and if she was to be completely honest with herself, Haymitch had also proven to be an entertaining, albeit annoying, companion in a house sometimes filled with teenage angst. For the first time in her entire life, Effie felt like the place she was living in was…alive. She had  _almost_  been relieved to hear from her property agent that it would be difficult to find a suitable apartment in the city.

The deafening sound of the kids galloping down the stairs broke her reverie.

_Almost._

Effie winced.

That was surely one thing she could do without in her new life. The kids  _and_ Haymitch, tended to make an awful amount of noise, especially in the morning, and despite having lived with them for a month, Effie still could not adapt to the racket they made.

"Good morning, children." Effie greeted, as the girls tumbled into the kitchen.

Katniss mumbled a half-hearted "morning", while Prim responded enthusiastically, and for a moment, Effie wondered how these two were related by blood, when they were so different in character.

Haymitch followed behind the girls, rubbing his eyes and complaining about how early it was. He was still dressed in his frayed t-shirt and sweatpants, and it was clear that he had not even bothered to shave his nasty scruff. Effie was afraid to ask if he had even brushed his teeth.

Haymitch continued muttering under his breath like a mad man.

Effie raised a brow, sipping her coffee daintily.

"Are you driving the girls to school dressed like that?" Effie questioned, looking up and down his attire disapprovingly. Normally, she would have been the one to drive the girls, but she needed to arrive early at the office. The Snow vs Coin case was reaching an end, and everyone was in a frenzy.

Haymitch snorted, smelled his t-shirt, and shrugged. "You look like shit, sweetheart." He replied instead, grabbing a piece of toast carelessly. He drew circles around his eyes and Effie stood up hurriedly, rushing to the bathroom.

Sure enough, the dark circles under her eyes were worse than ever, and Effie quickly applied another thick layer of eye cream. She had been working on the court case into the early mornings for the past two weeks, and on most weekends, she had to return to the office for emergency meetings. Coin was a brutal client, and Effie could not wait to be done with the case. She squeezed her eyes shut and gave herself ten seconds of rest.

_10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1_

She stared at her haggard appearance in the mirror and forced a smile.

"Eyes bright, chin up, smile on." She repeated her mantra quietly, smoothening her outfit.

Someone knocked on the bathroom's door.

"Sweetheart, we need to go." Haymitch voice called out.

* * *

The monotonous humming of the engine and the girls' quiet chatter lulled Effie into an easy sleep and it wasn't until Haymitch shook her violently that she woke up with a start.

"You gave me quite a fright." Effie said accusingly, adjusting her hair in the rear-view mirror.

Haymitch laughed. "You get scared at everything, sweetheart. Coming back for dinner tonight?"

Effie shook her head. Coin had  _requested_  for another meeting and Effie was sure it was going to drag into the night. Alma Coin loved the sound of her own voice.

"Haymitch says he's cooking tonight though." Prim chipped in, eager for Effie to join them for dinner. Haymitch and Katniss both ate in silence and it was boring to have dinner with them. Effie always had interesting stories to share.

Effie scrunched her nose and turned to face Prim. "Sorry dear, I'm really busy today. We will have dinner together soon, I promise. We can go to Sae's if you want?"

The girl shrugged and gave a small smile.

"Haymich's cooking venison and it's really, really good. I'll leave some in the microwave if you want?" Prim offered.

She was always so sweet.

Effie nodded, turning back to Haymitch.

"Can't wait to try your famous dish. It better live up to my expectations." She grinned and picked up her bag.

"Says the person who can't cook." Haymitch scoffed, as Effie climbed out of the car.

The last time Effie had tried her hands at cooking, the kitchen had become flooded because Effie had somehow managed to fuck up making an omelette, and the sprinkler system had been activated. She had been forbidden to cook after that incident, and the only machine she was allowed to access to in the kitchen was her coffee machine.

Effie grimaced at that memory.

"Stay safe, sweatheart." Haymitch smirked, before driving away.

Effie sighed and let out a tired laugh.

No one was safe from Coin's endless pep talks.

* * *

Sunlight spilt into the room and Effie covered the blanket over her head. It was so cold and bright and hot and she was having a horrible headache.

_Bright?!_

Effie shot up and reached for her phone on the nightstand.

_9.34am._

_12 unread messages._

_5 missed calls._

"Shit." Effie muttered under her breath, standing up so quickly, her vision grew dark for a few seconds.

Haymitch stood still at the window, looking at the panicking woman with an amused expression etched on his face.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" She screeched when she caught sight of him. "I'm supposed to give a presentation today!"

"I just woke you up, didn't I?" Haymitch smirked, not so discreetly admiring her figure in the night gown.

Effie huffed and folded her arms over her chest furiously.

Unfortunately, the action had the opposite effect on Haymitch.

Effie cleared her throat.

"I made some bacon and eggs. You can have some before you leave." Haymitch's eyes returned to her face. "You should eat more, you don't look too good." He frowned.

Effie didn't feel too good either, but she simply nodded, heading to the bathroom.

Her head hurt.

* * *

Haymitch paced outside of the bathroom, occasionally banging on the door to inform Effie of how late she was.

"I know you like wasting my money on hot water," He shouted over the sound of the running water. "But Portia just called your phone again and I don't think she's very happy!"

No one replied.

There wasn't even the sound of her usual off-key humming.

"Fuck." Haymitch muttered under his breath. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" He yelled again, pressing his ear against the door.

There was no response.

Haymitch ran a hand over his face.

His heart was pounding against his chest rapidly and his mouth was parched for a particular drink.

Various twisted and morbid scenarios ran through his mind.

It was happening again. It was happening again.

"Effie, don't you dare say I didn't warn you, I'm coming in." He shouted, turning the doorknob.

A rush of steam assaulted his sight, but his eyes were already on the body slumped against the bathtub.

"Effie!" He cried, and for a moment, he thought his worst fear had come true.

She was so pale.

He had failed another person under his care.

Her eyelids fluttered and she lifted her head. "Haymitch." Effie breathed, shivering despite the hot water raining down on her.

Haymitch let out a ragged breath and turned off the tap, wrapping a dry towel around her.

He placed his lips on her forehead.

She was burning.

"You're okay, sweetheart, you're okay." Haymitch whispered, as he gathered her in his arms and carried her back to their bedroom.

Effie buried her head into his nape. He was so warm, so warm.

* * *

Haymitch lowered Effie gently onto the bed and hurried to find some clothes for her.

It might have later occurred to Haymitch that Effie was butt naked and that she was exactly like, no, better than, how he had imagined her, in all her naked splendour. Yet, in that moment, his mind was only focused on protecting her.

Though she was shivering uncontrollably, her skin was hot to touch and it worried him greatly as he tucked his thickest shirt over her head. She seemed delirious and she was trying to hug him at every opportunity, he had half a mind to call an ambulance.

"I'm cold." She complained, wrapping her arms around his head as he tried putting her pants on. She pushed his head against her stomach and he was so awfully close to her naked crotch, he could not help but groan in both exasperation and desire.

Haymitch removed her hands around his head and chuckled at the pouting woman. "You're going to be so embarrassed later, sweetheart."

Effie looked pathetically tiny in his clothes and when she pulled him down again, arguing that she was cold and he was warm, he finally relented and drew her into his arms.

It was funny how they had been sleeping in the same bed for a month, but it was only now that it really felt as though they were sleeping together.

Effie tucked her head beneath Haymitch's chin and buried her head into his neck, her hot lips against his clavicle. Haymitch wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in as close as possible, his legs tangled with hers. Effie let out a contented sigh.

In the moment right before Haymitch fell asleep, in the land where thoughts could arrive uninterrupted, he could not help but marvel at how they seemed to fit together, as though their bodies were pieces from the same puzzle, and they had finally come together after a long time.

* * *

It was almost noon when Haymitch woke up to find Effie's hair in his mouth. He carefully extracted himself from her embrace, and lowered his lips to her forehead. She was still burning, and though she looked peaceful in her sleep, Haymitch knew it would not be good if her fever persisted any longer.

A quick glance at her phone showed that Portia  _and_ Plutarch had called Effie a total of fifteen times, and Haymitch decided to be a responsible husband for once.

He called Portia to inform her that Effie was unwell, only to be told that "his love would make her feel better" and that "Effie needed his tender, loving care".

Sometimes, Haymitch thought, it didn't pay to be nice.

He then sent a text to Katniss and Prim to inform them that he could not pick them from school, and that they should come home as soon as possible, because Effie was ill.

(And also because he had seen Katniss and the baker's son hanging around, and he was suspicious, but he didn't add that in his text.)

Finally he called Chaff to cancel on their weekly meet-up. That did not go too well either, because Chaff had invented a new nickname for Haymitch and Effie – Hayffie, and Haymitch was sure it was going to spread to Finnick and Johanna, and soon, the whole bar would know about it.

Haymitch turned off the stove and poured the chicken soup he had just concocted into a bowl.

By the time he went up to the bedroom, with the bowl, pills and a cup of water in his hand, Effie was up and about, and dressed in a white coat dress.

"Could you drive me to the office?" Effie muttered, looking at Haymitch through the mirror.

"Are you mad?" Haymitch furrowed his brows, placing a hand over her forehead. "You're having a fever."

"I need to do the presentation for Coin. I will rest later." Effie argued, shakily putting on her lipstick.

It was obvious to Haymitch that Effie was not going to be able to make it to the office. She could barely put on her lipstick properly, for goodness' sake.

Haymitch tore the lipstick away from her hand and forced her back to the bed.

"You're having a fever." Haymitch repeated. "You need to rest, sweetheart. I've called Portia, she's okay with doing the presentation alone."

Effie slumped back onto the headboard and placed a hand over her face.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking." She whimpered. "I feel like puking."

Haymitch sat down beside Effie and ran his hand up and down her back. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, resting her cheek against his shoulder

He stretched one arm over to take the bowl. "I cooked you some soup." He offered to her, while still stroking her back tenderly. "Take your meds too, and drink lots of water. You'll get dehydrated from the fever."

Effie's lips tugged in amusement.

Haymitch might act like he was all macho and manly most of the time, but he was a nag. If anything, he was worse than her.

She liked that part of him.

"Thank you." Effie looked up and gave a small smile to Haymitch.

Haymitch shrugged, averting his eyes uncomfortably. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing." Effie refuted, leaning in to give Haymitch an innocent peck on his cheek. "You saved me."

"I will get some water." Haymitch mumbled, cheeks obviously red from the encounter.

Effie's eyes twinkled in mirth.

There was a cup of water right beside them.


	5. Quiet and Starry

_He wouldn't make it in time. He couldn't make it in time._

_He tried running faster, taking longer strides and faster breaths._

_But it was always the same ending._

_The explosion, the blood, the screams._

_Always the screams._

_He should have seen it coming._

_He really should have._

* * *

Long accustomed to waking up alone in complete darkness, it came as a complete shock when he awoke to a pair of wide, blue eyes instead.

They were so blue, he could drown in them. They were so familiar, so sweet, so kind, so like...

"Pippa." He groaned, the word escaping his chapped lips like a desperate prayer.

The blue eyes blinked and the cool hand on his cheek stilled its caress.

"Haymitch, it's me, Effie." Blue eyes whispered, removing her hand from his face. He leaned toward it unconsciously, missing her gentle touch.

"Effie..." He muttered. At first, the name made hardly any sense and then he begin to see it, the rest of her.

Her cupid lips, which were quite unlike his girl's thinner ones; her sharp nose, the complete opposite of Pippa's cute button nose; her blonde curls against Pippa's brunette locks.

It was stupid of him to think that she was  _her_. They were nothing alike. A sudden sense of loss enveloped his torso and the space in his chest felt even emptier than usual.

"Go back to sleep, sweetheart." He turned away, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "I'm okay."

His shirt clung uncomfortably on his sweaty back like a second skin and he could hardly ignore the screams still echoing in the chambers of his mind. It would not do well to continue sleeping in the same bed as Effie. His nightmares could be brutal and violent at times, and they were lucky that the first one Effie encountered was relatively mild. He could have hurt her. More urgently, he could not stay in the same room as her, not after  _that_.

"Gonna sleep on the couch." He murmured, half-standing, but a hand pulled him back down.

"What happened?" Effie questioned, obviously still confused by what had just occurred. It was not her fault, of course, she did not know anything about his past.

"Just a nightmare." He shrugged nonchalantly, but the ghost of his girl haunted him in the back of his mind, accusing him of replacing her with Effie.

"Who's Pippa?" Effie asked defiantly, tightening her hold on his shoulder. He sensed an edge to her voice, but he was not in the mood to deal with her civilly.

"None of your fucking business." He snapped, avoiding those damn blue eyes. Those eyes would be the death of him. They always had.

Effie froze, her mouth gaping a little at the unanticipated rudeness. And then her shock transformed into barely-restrained anger.

"It is very much my business!" She whispered in hushed tones, her nostrils flaring fiercely. "I know what we have here is a purely professional...arrangement. But I will not condone any affair you are having. It is utterly disrespectful and frankly, disgusting, and the children, the children..."

"She's my girl." Haymitch cut in, sick of Effie's unjust condemnation. "She's also fucking dead."

Effie stuttered till her words dissolved into silence and her face grew warm in embarrassment. It was rare to see Effie Trinket at a loss for words, and Haymitch savoured the moment. Her blush spread down her neck into her nightdress, and Haymitch could not help but notice that she was not wearing a bra. Her dress was thin, and it left almost nothing to one's imagination.

"I didn't...I didn't know..." She blurted out, clutching Haymitch's upper arm as though she was afraid he would leave. "I'm sorry."

"Don't need to be, you didn't know." He replied, looking away from her. Effie in her night gown, with unruly golden hair spilling across her shoulders, was not something he wished to see while talking about his girl. It made him feel guilty, like he was betraying Pippa's memory and trust.

A strange silence hung in the air between them, and Haymitch was just about to excuse himself again when Effie interrupted.

"Do I..." She paused, as though she was unsure if she should continue. She continued anyway, in a rush of words. "Do I remind you of her?"

Maybe it was the darkness, or her tone, or maybe he was just awfully tired, but Haymitch answered Effie, instead of biting back like he usually did when she dared to probe into his past.

"Her eyes," he framed her jaw and brushed the skin under her right eye lightly, "were sky blue."

Pippa had the most unusual eyes in The Seam. While most of them in the neighbourhood had grey, dull eyes, Pippa's were blue, bright blue. Haymitch often told her that he could live indoors his whole life, because she possessed the summer sky in her eyes. It would make her giggle and blush, which made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. That was years ago though, and the fire within his chest had long since extinguished. He had tried using alcohol, but it was a poor substitute. The burn of whiskey against his throat and stomach provided little comfort, but it helped him forget that he was hollow inside.

Effie's breath hitched and her eyes followed him as he traced down her nose bridge. He felt as though he was in a trance.

"Your nose' high and proud," he chuckled softly, "hers was a button, with freckles running across right here." Haymitch stroked her untainted nose bridge. She had probably put on sun screen when she was a child, Effie was sheltered and shielded like his girl never was.

Pippa hated her freckles, but Haymitch loved them. He loved everything about her, but he had been losing parts of her as the years past, and the memories were becoming foggy at best. Sometimes, he would forget about the way she smiled. Not the smile itself, but the small details like how her smile tended to lean more toward her left and how her eyes crinkled in glee. During those times, he would dig out the photo albums from the attic and stay up there the whole day. More often than not, he would have a drink, and he would end up drunk.

His thumb continued its journey downward toward Effie's lips and her tongue darted out nervously to wet them.

"Your lips are sensuous and full," he ran his thumb over her lower lip, pausing at it far longer than necessary. "Hers were thinner, but...sweeter."

He shared his first kiss with her after all, and his second and his third... It has been years and years, and truth to be told, he sometimes forgot certain features of her face. He used to draw constellations with the freckles on her cheeks, but he had long since forgotten the patterns they formed. The photographs he had of her could never replicate the exact texture and shade of her skin. She had become an image, a mere image, in his world.

He removed his hand from Effie face, his heart filled with sorrow and loathing - not for Effie, but for himself. "So no, sweetheart," Haymitch said with a tinge of sneer, "you do not remind me of her."

He did not know how, but the blue of Effie's eyes transformed from an ocean to a glacier, and she pursed her lips tightly together. Haymitch thought she looked angry and indignant. If he had been more observant, he would have noticed that that her pursed lips were quivering, and that her eyes revealed a lonely, weaving river, rather than a glacier. But Haymitch was too far into his self-loathing to notice anything.

"You love her." Effie said in a matter-of-fact tone, her voice cracking on the second word.

Haymitch did not dignify her statement with a response.

"How long?" Effie's question lingered between the pair. She did not specifically explain what she meant by that, but Haymitch knew.

"Sixteen years." He had been twenty-two when it had happened, but sometimes it still felt as though it had been a week ago. He could still see his officer coming up to him, stoic and strong, but when he spoke, Haymitch had known immediately. His mother, his baby brother and his girl, gone in a flash, gone together, gone forever. The officer had promised that it had been painless, but Haymitch knew fires were never painless. It had been done by an anarchic arsonist determined to take revenge for the hundreds and the thousands no one mourned for in Afghanistan. Like the innocent sacrificial lamb, Haymitch's family had to burn for his sins, and he could not forgive himself for that.

"You don't have to do this alone." Effie clasped his hand in hers, staring at him earnestly with those eyes. Those eyes, Haymitch could now see, were purely Effie's. They were proud, and bitchy, and incredibly bossy, but they were also kind, and intelligent, and strangely protective. They were only Effie's, just like how Pippa's eyes were only hers.

If it had been anybody else, Haymitch would have snatched his hand away and left the room in a fury, but somehow, Effie was different. She did not look at him in pity or false understanding. She did not speak words that she did not believe in – "They were not in pain", "It gets better", "They are at peace". She did not expect him to act like he felt better because of her actions. She simply offered everything she had to him and it was this generosity, this unadulterated goodness that touched him.

"You can't do nothing about it, Effie." He gave her a small, sad smile, pushing her curls behind her ear. "It's my fault."

Effie shook her head vehemently, and Haymitch almost laughed. She knew almost nothing about what happened and here she was fervently defending him.

"Sweetheart, you don't know me." He smirked.

Effie huffed, "I know you are a good man."

"I thought I was rude and vulgar?" Haymitch retorted.

"Rude and vulgar, yes," Effie admitted, "but you have a good heart."

Haymitch snorted. He was far from being a good man. If she knew, if she only knew about the horrible things he had done, she would run away without turning back, she would hate and despise him, she would fear him. He was a monster.

It came as a shock when Effie threw her arms around his neck.

Haymitch froze, his arms hanging limply by his side.

"What's this?"

Effie laughed against his shoulder. "It's called a hug, Haymitch. People do it for comfort."

Haymitch slowly placed his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head. She smelt like strawberries.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch from now on." He muttered against her curls, unconsciously pulling Effie closer to him.

"Is the hug that bad?" Effie deadpanned, and Haymitch had a sneaking suspicion she was sniffing him, but it was a weird thing to do, so he left it at that.

Haymitch could feel Effie's chest against his own and though it was definitely a pleasant feeling, it would not be long before the situation got awkward, especially since they were practically pressed together. Haymitch kissed her forehead and released her, still holding her by her shoulders.

"I can get dangerous when I have a nightmare." He admitted truthfully, hoping to cut the chase.

"I will get out of the bed." Effie replied, "The couch isn't good for your back."

Haymitch sighed, knowing how stubborn Effie could be when she was adamant about something. She was a lawyer after all. "Get out of bed, switch on the lights, and poke me with a hanger or something. Don't touch me, I could hurt you."

Effie smiled, staring at him intently, with those blue eyes that were only hers.

"Told you you're a good man."


	6. City Lights

Effie loved projects.

Once, for a school history project, she had designed a renaissance costume so intricate that it was featured on a real runway. Another time, her science project on butterflies won the state science fair and she got to meet the President.

When she grew a little older, her report on the errancy of state property law made waves throughout the law world. The report was very technical in nature, but she practically became a legend in her university.

One could say that Effie was very serious and very proud of her projects.

And that was how the whole Abernathy family was forced to gather around the table to discuss Prim's family tree project.

"I don't know much about our relatives." Katniss shrugged. "There's a picture of nana at mum and dad's wedding I think, but that's all I know."

"Do you know our grandparents' names?" Prim asked, chewing on her pen despite Effie's pointed look. So far, they had only established that Katniss and Prim had a mother and a father, and their parents had parents who they have never met. In essence, they had made absolutely no progress at all.

"Mum's parents died when she was little and nana died soon after dad and mum got married." Katniss chewed on her lower lip. "I don't know what happened to dad's dad."

"I remember Dalon saying once that his father was never much of a family man." Haymitch mused, drinking his spiked tea. "Wasn't around much when he was growing up."

"How about siblings? Did your parents have any siblings?" Effie prompted, after a few moments of silence.

"Nope," Prim replied, scrunching her nose. "Every time Katniss and I fought, Mum would sigh and say how lonely she was as a kid and how lucky we were to have each other."

"I guess we've hit a dead end then." Katniss shrugged, leaning back into her chair. She balanced her chair on its two back legs and Effie knew it was going to give one day, and that Katniss was going to split her crown. But the girl never listened.

"How about you, Effie?" Prim turned to her guardian. "Do you have siblings?"

"Me?" Effie asked quizzically, placing a hand over her chest. "Me? I don't have any."

Her parents had been in their forties when they had her. Haimon and Megaira Trinket were both highly successful in their respective careers, and they had no wish for a child. Effie had been an accident, and she had gained that knowledge when her parents got too loud quarrelling one night. It had been the worst night of her life.

"And you, Haymitch?" Katniss asked, resting her chin on her palm.

"Me and my brother." He revealed, much to the surprise of Effie. He tended to close up when people asked him about his family. Effie had only learnt a little more about Haymitch's past from what he mumbled during his nightmares and that was it. They had not discussed anything further after  _that night._

"Alright then," Prim declared, "I'm going to form the family tree based on you two."

"Are you sure?" Effie's eyes widened in shock. "I could drive you down to the hospital to visit your mum and I'm sure Haymitch could find a few of your father's old friends."

"You are our guardians and you are family." Katniss simply replied and Prim nodded sagely.

A bright smile blossomed on Effie's face and she engulfed the girls in a tight hug, while Haymitch chuckled annoyingly. She was on the edge of tearing when she realised how much things had changed in her life. She did not know how or when, or even why, but over the last couple of months, she had grown attached to her makeshift family. Though they were a weird little family unit, it felt comforting to come home to a house with warmth and laughter. She had gotten used to the sounds and the noises, and Effie suspected she would feel uneasy without them.

"Effie, tell me more about your parents." Prim said seriously, her fingers poised at the keyboard.

"My parents..." Effie started, lingering on the last word. She belatedly realised that she did not in fact know much about her parents. "My mother's name is Megaira and my Father is Haimon Trinket. They are both in their seventies and retired, and living somewhere in Malibu."

Haymitch choked on his tea and Effie had to fuss over him with a napkin. "Malibu? Your parents are loaded or something?"

"You could say so. Father was a Wall Street stockbroker and Mother was a corporate lawyer." Effie replied.

Her parents were always off on business trips and seminars, and they hardly had time for each other, much less for her. Most days, she was cared for by different nannies and babysitters. When she grew a little older, she often came home to an empty house. Eventually, she got used to the silence, but the loneliness was always uncomfortable. Effie learnt to distract herself with friends and activities, but returning to a house that still smelt like new furniture always unsettled her. It made her feel small and unloved.

"Knew I married right." Haymitch jested, winking at the girls who were grinning.

Effie ribbed him. "Gold digger." She retorted.

"And what were they like when you were younger?" Prim continued.

"They were very busy people and Mother was very strict about manners."

Haymitch laughed out loud and Effie glared at him.

"We didn't spend a lot of time together, but during Christmas time we would pack everything up and fly to Hawaii to escape the cold. Father would finally relax and he even taught me how to surf. We weren't very good at it, but it was fun." Effie reminisced.

Effie had always been closer to her father. While her parents did not plan to have children, Haimon had welcomed the news of Megaira's pregnancy as a "happy accident", while Megaira had viewed the pregnancy as a burden. Effie suspected that Megaira had never truly forgiven her for being born. After all, all talks of promotion were called off after Megaira became pregnant. She was never made partner of her law firm.

"Hold on," Haymitch placed his hand on Effie's thigh. "Trinket, are you saying you have never had a white Christmas?"

Prim gaped theatrically. "You have never drank hot chocolate while watching A Charlie Brown Christmas?"

Katniss shook her head disappointedly. "You have never made snow angels on Christmas morning?"

Effie frowned, taken aback by their strong reactions. "Well...I did spend Christmas in New York with my friends and we went party hopping..."

"That doesn't count!" Haymitch, Katniss and Prim replied in unison, shaking their heads solemnly.

"Alright, this Christmas, we are going to stay right here and do all the Christmassy things you've never done." Katniss declared.

"And we could bake some Christmas cookies?" Effie ventured. She was itching to acquire some culinary skills. She had never been bad at something before, and she refused to back down. She was going to conquer the kitchen.

"No!" The trio shouted immediately, absolutely horrified by the idea. Effie wondered when it was that the girls started siding with Haymitch.

"How about you, Haymitch?" Prim quickly changed the subject. "How did you spend your Christmas?"

"With my Ma and my baby brother." Effie caught Haymitch's eyes and he gave her a small nod. "We would sit in front of the fireplace and my mother would tell us stories till we fell asleep. When we woke up, we would have been magically transported to our beds, and it would be Christmas morning."

Effie squeezed Haymitch's hand which was still resting on her thigh. It was shaking a little and Effie knew how difficult it was for him to talk about his past.

"That must sound awfully boring to you." He smirked, looking at Effie. "Compared to all the surfing and sun you had."

"Oh no, not at all!" Effie protested. "It sounds warm and cosy, and it must have been special to you."

Katniss cleared her throat.

"You guys are not supposed to be lovey-dovey." She announced.

"Lovey-dovey?" Haymitch guffawed. "Girl, what about you and baker boy?"

Katniss' face grew red so fast, the tips of her ears were burning.

"Peeta is my lab partner!"

"He ran in the rain to pass you his notes." Prim pointed out, delighted that someone was finally on her side. Katniss could be frustratingly oblivious at times.

"Who is this boy you are talking about?" Effie pursed her lips. "Why am I in the dark? Katniss, are you dating?"

"No!" Katniss insisted, "He's just a friend! I am not keeping anything from you!"

"Just-a-friend would not bake cupcakes and leave them at our front door." Haymitch smiled smugly, sharing a knowing look with Prim.

"How...how..." Katniss stuttered, "How did you know?"

"I know everything." Haymitch answered mysteriously, watching Katniss squirm in her seat.

"And why do I not know anything?" Effie threw her arms up in exasperation. "Why did you not tell me, Haymitch?"

"There's nothing to tell!" Katniss hissed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Who is this boy and what is he like?" Effie interrogated, ignoring Katniss' comment.

"Peeta is Katniss' classmate and he's the nicest boy I know!" Prim spoke despite Katniss' glare. "He volunteers at the children's hospital and he makes the best cookies."

"Is that so, Katniss?" Haymitch mocked, wiggling his brows.

Effie whacked his arm not so gently.

"This is not the time for jokes, Haymitch!" Effie chastised.

"Peeta sounds like a delightful gentleman!" Effie clapped her hands together. "Why not invite him over for dinner next week? We would love to meet him. Maybe I could call on his parents…"

"Oh my god…" Katniss groaned, standing up. "I have some work to do."

"With Peeta?" Haymitch retorted, leaving Prim in stitches.

Effie decided she had a new project to start on – finding out about Peeta.

* * *

Haymitch had just settled down into his side of the bed when Effie pounced on the bed.

"Tell me about Peeta." She demanded.

"And why should I?" Haymitch raised an eyebrow, sitting up once more.

"I am very disappointed in you, Haymitch." Effie rebuked, "We are guardians of the kids and you should have shared about Peeta with me. We are a team."

Haymitch rolled his eyes. Effie could be ridiculously dramatic about little things.

"Peeta is the Mellark's youngest son." Haymitch divulged.

"But…" Effie winced. "But…Mrs Mellark is a…"

"Bitch."

"Very unpleasant lady."

They said at the same time.

Effie held back a laughter. Once again, she wondered when she had started condoning Haymitch's rudeness.

"I guess that's another way of putting it." Effie replied, once she had composed herself.

"Yeah," Haymitch laughed, giving her another one of his smirks which did weird things to her stomach. "But Peeta's alright, he's always trailing after Katniss like a lovesick puppy."

"Didn't know that our brooding teenager had it in her." Effie joked, leaning against the headboard. "They're growing up so fast."

"You sound like an old lady." Haymitch settled back beside her.

Effie huffed, pushing Haymitch away with her shoulder.

"I never thought this would happen." She said. "Never thought I would have a…family."

"What about Seneca?" Haymitch asked.

"He didn't want children." Effie answered. "I've always thought maybe I would have ended up at Malibu like my parents, retiring early and sipping iced tea on the beach."

Haymitch wrinkled his brow.

"You could still do that, you know," He growled, refusing to meet her eyes. "You aren't trapped with us or anything."

Effie shook her head and clasped Haymitch's hand.

"I like it better here."


	7. You Want the Moon?

The Capitol used to be the fanciest bar in town, but it had fallen far from grace, and was now host to a handful of middle-aged men in the midst of their mid-life crisis and the occasional tourist who wanted to try something "local" and "authentic". This suited Haymitch and his group of friends just fine. They just wanted somewhere quiet, away from the outside and filled with lots and lots of alcohol.

"Ah the final victor is here!" Chaff yelled, raising a glass as Haymitch opened the grimy glass door.

Finnick gave Haymitch a wave while Johanna rolled her eyes.

They were an odd, damaged bunch. An overly enthusiastic tourist had declared them "victors" after learning that they were veterans, and the term had stuck ever since. It was ironic, really, because if anything, they all felt like they've lost something after the war. Some more obvious than others; Chaff had literally left a part of himself in some foreign fields.

Haymitch settled beside Chaff and ordered himself some whiskey.

It had only been Chaff and Haymitch at first, and then one evening they met Finnick at The Capitol and they saw the look in his eyes and they just knew. Johanna came not long after; they had to break up a fight between her and a lecherous drunk. She had almost gutted him with a butter knife.

"I'm going back to school." Finnick announced suddenly, almost in excitement.

Haymitch chuckled and gave the boy a proud pat on the back.

"Going to fulfil your dreams, Aquaman?"

Finnick had scrimped and saved for the past three years, and he had refused to accept any help from Haymitch and the rest. Working as a stripper was taking a toll on him, and Haymitch was silently glad that he was finally going to escape that life. Haymitch thought, out of all of them, Finnick had the greatest chance of reclaiming his life after the war.

"We will see." Finnick replied cheekily. "It's gonna be at least another four years before I can get a degree in Marine Biology."

"Aquaman doesn't need a degree to be Aquaman" Chaff laughed. "What about you, Johanna?"

A silence descended upon the group. Everyone knew that the remuneration the government gave her was hardly enough. She had been fired from at least five waitressing jobs for being rude to customers, and honestly, no businesses in the neighbourhood were willing to hire her anymore.

"What about me?" Johanna bristled, lifting her arms in anger. "You two fuck around all day and you think you can lecture me?"

Chaff chuckled. "Hey, if the damn Army wants to compensate me for this," he lifted his stump, "I ain't gonna refuse." He shrugged.

Haymitch took a swig of his drink, allowing the bitter liquid to calm his nerves. He had never talked about why he received so much money every month, and he wasn't about to start today. "We're old. You have a whole life ahead." He mumbled instead.

"Fuck off." Johanna swore, pouring way too much vodka down her throat. "Don't act like you're our dad."

Haymitch shook his head and took another shot. He didn't want to be anyone's dad.

"Speaking of dad," Finnick attempted to divert the conversation to less choppy waters; none of them liked talking about the past. "How's married life?"

Haymitch rolled his eyes. His life had become the focus of most of their conversations ever since he phoned Chaff during Effie's fever. Chaff and Jo used him as the butt of their jokes, but Haymitch could sense that Finnick craved that kind of routine and normalcy associated with married life. Haymitch wanted to laugh; his and Effie's marriage was anything but normal.

"Yeah Haymitch," Jo taunted, "how's changing diapers?"

Haymitch sighed again, rubbing his eyes.

"Firstly, the girls are in their teens, there are no diapers to be changed. Secondly, if there are diapers to be changed, Effie would do it." He responded. "I'm not going anywhere near that stuff."

"Men." Jo muttered under her breath, swirling her fry in her vodka.

"Nah," Chaff slapped his remaining hand on Haymitch's back, "you're whipped. If she wanted you to, you'll do it."

"Bullshit."

"Says the man who's going back at midnight because Trinket says so?" Chaff guffawed, forcing another drink into Haymitch's hand. "Drink up, Cinderella."

Haymitch downed the whiskey in one go, and lifted his arm for another.

"I don't have to go back if I don't want to." He insisted, picking up Finnick's beer when his drink took too long to appear.

Chaff and Johanna looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"And you're not afraid of your wife's wrath?" Finnick joined in the fun.

"Fuck Effie!" Haymitch declared, standing up for a toast. He wobbled slightly on the balls of his feet while clanging his glass with the rest.

"That, you won't be doing for a while." Chaff commented, "Won't let you touch her when you aren't doing what she says." He winked.

Haymitch slammed his half-empty glass down on the table. The golden liquid sloshed. "Effie ain't like that."

His hand was shaking when he gulped down another mouthful of whiskey. He didn't want them to think of Effie that way, Effie wasn't that kind of women.

Finnick sputtered on his drink and Jo had to whack him violently on the back for him recover.

"The sex must be real good." Chaff slurred, already feeling a little tipsy. They had gone overboard real quickly that night. "What is she like in bed? Bet she's wild, those bossy ones always are."

"Are you her bitch?" Johanna chimed in, amused by how red Haymitch was turning.

Chaff let out a loud burp and stroked his chin meaningfully, "prob'ly real kinky and loud. She acts all prim and proper, but all she really needs is a good fuck to loosen up, she..."

Before Chaff could continue, Haymitch hand was around his throat.

"Shut the fuck up." Haymitch growled, clenching his fingers a little tighter, before releasing a stunned Chaff. "Don't talk about Effie like that."

Chaff dropped on the chair, wiping his hand down his face. He was perfectly sober now.

"You care." Finnick half-whispered, his eyes wide as saucers.

Haymitch refused to look at the younger man, instead he focused on finishing the entire bottle of vodka left on the table. His heart was racing and the shake in his hands was only becoming worse. For a second then, he had almost thought himself capable of killing his best friend. The monster in him was egging him on to finish the fight and he could only hope to douse the bloodlust with alcohol.

Johanna threw up her arms in disgust.

"For fuck's sake." She cursed, "I'm outta here."

Johanna grabbed her bag and walked away without looking back. The girl was always so volatile. They all were, especially at the beginning. They just grew more apathetic as they aged.

"I'm done too," Chaff mumbled, rubbing his neck which still bore Haymitch's fingerprints. "Get a grip on yourself, pal." He nodded at Haymitch before following in Johanna's footstep.

"Well, guess it's just you and me then." Finnick shrugged, pouring himself another drink. They were all crazy, and things like this had happened in the past. It was bound to happen again eventually. Finnick just didn't think it would have been over a woman. At least, not over Haymitch's woman.

Haymitch downed another glass of whiskey and looked at Finnick with glassy eyes. He giggled and slumped on the table.

"Or maybe not." Finnick sighed. "Let's get you home, big man."

* * *

Effie was just formulating the introductory paragraph of her opening speech when someone rang at the doorbell. A quick glance at the clock on her laptop showed that it was a little past midnight. Effie stilled, glancing at the wooden door which somehow managed to look menacing.

The doorbell rang again.

Effie turned her head sharply toward the dark stairs, thinking about the sleeping girls upstairs. She was suddenly reminded of that movie with Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart; if they were home-invaded, Effie was going to hide with the girls in a room with Katniss' bow and then she would call Haymitch, unless the invaders could somehow control her phone like in the film...Effie shook her head to clear her mind. It was probably Haymitch without his keys.

The doorbell rang once more.

Effie picked up a vase, just in case, and opened the door. She took a step forward and angled the vase toward the towering man and oh...it was Haymitch slumped against a very handsome young man.

"Hi," the young man ventured, lifting up his hand to greet her.

Effie lowered the vase awkwardly, and pretended to have been arranging it when she opened the door. She grabbed the man's hand and gave her brightest smile. Her face was burning in embarrassment.

"I'm Finnick," the man introduced, and Haymitch raised his head from Finnick's shoulder.

I'm Haymitch." Haymitch gave a silly grin and stumbled toward Effie. "You're pretty."

Effie grabbed Haymitch around the waist as he enveloped her in a bear hug. She took a few steps back and wrinkled her nose. He smelled like a distillery.

"I'm so sorry," Finnick apologised, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you need help getting him up the stairs?"

Effie shook her head, "it's alright, I can manage. Thank you so much for bring him home."

"No problem at all," Finnick gave a wolffish grin, "I'll get going then."

He was just about to leave when he turned back again.

"He likes you."

"What?" Effie furrowed her brows.

"He likes you, and he might act like he doesn't, but he does. He's crap at expressing himself and all." Finnick tucked his hands into his jeans, "but I've known him for years, and I know when he cares."

Effie didn't know what to reply but Finnick simply shrugged and gave her a wave before turning again.

_He likes you._

Effie shivered.

Haymitch belched.

Effie shook her head and wrapped an arm around Haymitch's waist as they ascended the stairs. "Let's get you cleaned up." She said softly.

"You smell nice." Haymitch mumbled, pressing his nose into her hair.

"You don't." She replied, as they entered their bedroom.

"Do you like me?" She asked softly, unbuttoning his shirt as he sat on the bed half-awake. There was a huge, ugly scar extending from one end of his abdomen to the other, and Effie just knew it had everything to do with his mysterious past.

Haymitch ignored her question and slumped down on his back.

"Wanna sleep." He complained, pushing Effie's arms away as she helped him slip on a t-shirt.

Effie tutted, holding his arm down with one hand and putting on his shirt with the other.

With surprising strength for a drunk, Haymitch flipped Effie over, and she let out a small yelp.

Haymitch rested his forehead on hers, his eyes boring into hers; his eyes look more black than grey now. She could feel his hot breath against her lips and she wondered if he could feel how fast her heart was beating. It felt like it was jumping out of her chest.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered in awe, gently pushing tendrils of her hair behind her ear.

She let out a soft sound and tilted her head up instinctively.

Haymitch leaned forward and their lips touched. Effie grew dizzy and a warmth spread from her lower belly to the rest of her body. If this was what it means to swoon, then Effie wanted the feeling to go on forever. Gentle at first, the kiss grew more heated, as though their bodies were making up for all the lost time they spent thinking about each other. Haymitch cupped Effie's face, and deepened the kiss and Effie whimpered as Haymitch ran his tongue over her lower lip. She buried her hands into his hair and all she could think about was how she could spend the rest of her life kissing him. He pulled her closer against him.

At last, they had to stop to breathe, and as their lips separated, Effie couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of loss. Haymitch burrowed his head between her neck and clavicle, his hot breath tickling her as he licked and nipped at the soft skin.

Effie tilted her neck to give Haymitch further access, when he bit down at the hollow above her clavicle.

"No, no, no marks," Effie barely managed to breathe out, as her hands stopped roaming his strong back.

"We need to stop." She pushed back gently on his chest, not at all believing her own words.

"Want you." Haymitch grumbled, leaning down again toward her mouth.

Effie gave him a small peck before pushing herself upright.

"You're drunk." She said, adjusting her night gown. "You're going to hate me again tomorrow."

"I don't hate you." Haymitch pouted, and Effie couldn't help but feel a kind of fondness toward the man.

Effie placed a pillow under his head and urged him to lie down. "You're such a baby." She smiled, a hand still lingering on his chest.

Haymitch frowned, "don't wanna change diapers." He said very seriously.

Effie tilted her head in confusion and laughed. She wanted to say that he was cute, but she knew he wouldn't take to that description.

She lied back down beside him and when he turned over to hold her in his arms, she couldn't find it in herself to move away. With her back tight against his chest, and his arm held protectively over her stomach, Effie wished that dawn would never arrive.

"I like you too." She whispered, as he started snoring against her hair.


	8. Vanish In The Haze

Nothing could be more awkward than awakening with a boner and realising that you were drooling on a very prim and proper lady's hair. That was exactly what Haymitch found himself doing, as Effie, that damn temptress, wiggled back into him with a small sigh. He was sporting a hell of a headache, he was getting fucking horny, and that was definitely not a good combination. Angling his hips away from her ass, that  _glorious_ ass, he tried to escape the bed as nimbly as possible. Despite how warm and soft she felt, it wouldn't do well to stay any longer in bed with Effie. It would make things...awkward, and complicated, whatever that really meant. His arm was numb from Effie resting her head on it, and apparently his legs were still asleep; unfortunately, the hangover proved too strong an effect, and Haymitch crashed into the bedside table and tumbled onto the ground.

Effie shot up, her eyes wide open with fear.

"Wha...what..." She mumbled, her hair messy and night gown riding a little low.

He spotted a dark mark above her collarbone.

"You, I?" He stammered, eyes flitting from her face to her chest.

A hand flew to cover her collarbone, but he couldn't help but notice a deep flush spread from her cheeks down to under her gown.

"We..." She responded weakly, pulling the hem of the nightgown up.

He cursed and frowned, rubbing a hand down his face in frustration. He drew a blank when he tried thinking about the night before.

"Fuck." He swore dully.

The hand on her nightgown tightened, and a flash of hurt appeared on her face for a mere second before being replaced by a cold glare.

"You should be embarrassed." She replied harshly, looking away. "Getting drunk on a weekday and coming home way after midnight. You are, as we know too well, incorrigible."

He eyed her cautiously as she grabbed a sweater to go over her nightgown.

"I need to finish some work in the office," she continued, "I trust you will act like an adult for once. The girls are visiting their mother today, I need you to drive them."

Haymitch scrambled up as she walked past him.

"What did I do last night?" He asked, grabbing her arm.

She shook it off.

He felt like throwing up, and not just because of the damn hangover. What had he done last night? Had he…hurt her?

"Sweetheart, did I hurt you?" He muttered, his fists clenched at his sides, and his brows furrowed.

Effie laughed.

A bitter laugh.

He flinched. He had heard so many things from her, but not this one. The sound didn't suit her at all.

"Hurt me?" She shook her head. "Don't worry sweetheart, you didn't."

She turned back and disappeared down the hall.

"Fuck."

* * *

The office was empty except for a few staff and that suited Effie just fine. What she needed was a hot cup of Americano (as black as her mood, really) and a case to focus on. She had learnt since young that it did not do well to dwell on feelings. Feelings betray and feelings hurt, and feelings were ultimately ephemeral. She had become an expert at compartmentalising her feelings and emotions, and she would not allow one man, one stupid, drunk, stupid man to mess it all up.

She had just been crafting the end of her introductory statement when her phone rang.

"Mother" the screen informed her, and she winced.

"Hello Euphemia dear." Megaira's crisp voice echoed through the speakers.

Effie sat up straighter, abandoning her laptop. "Hello Mother, what a surprise! How have you been?"

"Good, good, in fact your Father and I have just gotten back from Saint Tropez. Beautiful place and what wonderful scenery, but really, " Megaira sighed dramatically, and Effie braced herself for whatever her mother was about to say next, "how are  _you_ , Euphemia? You refused to visit us during Christmas and now there's the whole disaster with Seneca. It pains me, my dear."

"I...I..." Effie stuttered, feeling once again like a school girl being reprimanded. Her cheeks were burning and she could almost feel her mother's disapproving glare.

"I would've thought Law School would have corrected that nasty stutter of yours," Megaira laughed at her own joke, but turned serious almost immediately. "Now, dear, pray tell me about this Haymitch Abernathy."

Effie's jaw went slack but she quickly composed herself. "Haymitch is my husband...how did you know?"

"And why didn't you inform your Father and me?" Megaira whispered harshly, anger seeping into her voice. "We had to learn this from an old acquaintance. Imagine how embarrassed I was! Euphemia, why can't you learn to spare a thought for your own dear mother?"

Effie cringed, chewing on her lower lip nervously. "I apologise Mother, it simply slipped my mind. I have been busy, and..."

"Tell me honestly," Megaira interrupted sharply, " are you pregnant?"

"No!"

"Then pray, tell me, why are you married to an unemployed drunk?" Megaira exclaimed in exasperation.

"We are in love!" Effie retorted without thinking.

Mother let out a series of almost unladylike laughs.

"Love?" She spat, "and did this love materialise because of a couple of teenagers?"

Effie froze.

Mother knew.

"Truly miraculous how you fell in love right after two teenagers needed foster parents!"

"Have you been spying on us?" Effie exclaimed.

Megaira sucked in a breath and there was a heavy pause before she spoke again.

"Euphemia, Your father and I, we care for you, and we haven't heard from you for a long,  _long_  time. We worry for you, my dear. We want to see you…and your husband." She continued, "Your father and I will be organizing a charity gala dinner in New York next month, and we would love to see you there."

Effie shook her head, resting her head against her palm. Seeing her parents would make things much more worse. Her mother would figure out theirs was a sham marriage, make a big hoo-ha, and with mother's connections with her lawyer associates, who knows what will happen to the children? Mother had always thought she knew best.

"I apologise, but I have a new case to settle, and Haymitch…"

Megaira tutted.

"No excuses, Euphemia. Seats have been booked for the both of you, and your father and I look forward to seeing the man who managed to steal your heart. We wouldn't want anyone to think this was a marriage of convenience, would we?"

"Marriage of convenience?!" Effie laughed in an attempt to hide her nervousness. "Whatever do you mean by that?"

"There's no need to make such a fuss, Euphemia." Mother replied. "People are just bewildered by how quickly you got…involved with this man. We shall see on that day, shall we not? After all, as a lawyer, you wouldn't do something so…unwarranted."

With that, Megaira ended the call, citing something that needed to be done around the estate. Effie collapsed into her chair, wishing she could sink into the deepest depths of the earth.

* * *

Katniss' phone buzzed.

 _Want some cookies? :)_ \- Peeta

Hell yeah, she did. Seeing her mum staring aimlessly at the wall, while Prim babbled on about the things she had learnt in school made her strangely upset. She wished she could be anywhere else but there.

She quickly thumbed a reply to Peeta, telling him that she was not home, but to leave some for her at school, and slumped back down into her sofa seat.

_Home._

It occurred to her suddenly, how Haymitch's house had become home to her. It had been a temporary refuge at first, hers and Prim's only hope against foster care and separation from each other. Yet along the way, it had turned into a place of comfort and security, things she had not experienced since…well, since dad passed away.

It was not right to blame mum, she knew. After all, everyone knew how deeply in love Dalon and Isla were. Childhood sweethearts, star-crossed lovers, Katniss had heard it all. Yet…Katniss could not help but be angry at her. She was their mum, wasn't she? She was responsible for them. She wasn't there to help Prim with homework, or to buy the groceries, or to hug them at night, telling them it was all going to be okay. She wasn't a mum, and seeing Prim try so hard, with Isla barely responding, it created an ugly feeling at the bottom of Katniss' chest.

Her phone buzzed again.

 _Yeah…not to be a creep, but I saw you at the hospital. I just finished volunteering at the children's ward and I have some cookies left. Meet me at the garden? :)_ \- Peeta

Katniss pushed herself off the chair, grateful for a reason to escape the room.

"Peeta's here and I'm gonna meet him. Give me a call when you're done?" Katniss muttered, swinging the door open.

Prim frowned but nodded.

Mum continued staring at wall.

Katniss left.

* * *

"Here to visit your mum?" Peeta asked, as Katniss settled beside him on the bench.

She gave a non-committal hum and grabbed the cookie from his hand.

"Raspberry macadamia nut cookie, new recipe." Peeta introduced, as Katniss took her first bite. "What do you think about it?"

"We both know," Katniss answered with her mouth full, "it is fantastic. Stop fishing for compliments."

Chortling, Peeta offered her a napkin. "Got some on your cheek." He moved toward her face, but Katniss quickly intercepted it.

She blushed. Every time Peeta did something like that, it made her feel weird. Not uncomfortable, but weird, like there was a tickle traveling up her stomach.

 _Butterflies in your stomach._ Her mind helpfully added, but she ignored it.

"Thanks."

Peeta shook his head and gave her a boyish grin. He leaned back on the bench.

"You know, Katniss, we have known each other for quite a while, but I don't know anything about you. I know you're good with a bow, and you have a sister, and you are incredibly stubborn."

"That sums me up." She replied,  _stubbornly_ looking anywhere but at him.

"No, no, see Katniss, the way the whole friend thing works is you have to tell each other the...the deep stuff."

"The deep stuff." She looked him in the eye with a sardonic smile.

"Yeah." He shrugged.

"Uh huh, like what?"

Peeta tilted his head, pondering her question.

"Like…umm…what's your favourite colour?"

She snorted. "Well, now you've stepped over the line."

They shared a look and burst out in laughter.

"Seriously though," He asked, "what is it?"

She looked around, giving his  _very_ deep question a long thought.

"Green." She finally answered, looking back at him. "What's yours?"

"Orange." Peeta replied confidently.

"Like the dress Effie wore when you came over for dinner?"

Katniss cringed internally at the memory. It had been way beyond awkward when Haymitch started treating the dinner as a way to make fun of them, but the worst was when Effie actually started talking about "being safe" and "using protection". Even Peeta had a hard time maintaining a straight face at that. Thank goodness Prim finally took pity on them and changed the topic to something completely different.

"No," Peeta chuckled, "no, not like  _that_  orange. More like…er…a sunset orange."

She nodded, turning her head toward the sky. Peeta followed suit.

They sat there quietly, a boy and a girl basking under an imaginary sunset.


	9. Fuel the Fire

For once, all four of them were gathered at the dining table. Katniss was stabbing the salad rather aggressively, Haymitch was sneaking glances at Effie, and Effie was swirling her spoon in her soup. Prim was observing all of this, ready to share a lame joke just to break the uncomfortable silence.

Surprisingly, it was Katniss who spoke first.

"So," she voiced tentatively, "I'm having an archery competition next week...it's downtown and it's gonna be more convenient if I stay over at my teammate's place."

Haymitch looked up from his plate of mashed potatoes.

"Teammate?"

Katniss nodded, avoiding eye contact at all cost. It was painfully obvious that she was hiding something.

"A boy?" Haymitch probed, slightly amused by the girl's reaction. She couldn't lie to save her ass.

"Gale." Katniss finally replied, her cheeks turning a bright red. The girl acted stoic and strong all the time, but there were short moments where she stumbled and the teenager in her slipped out.

Prim giggled. Katniss glared at her.

"Gale." Haymitch repeated, smirking and staring straight back at her.

He turned to Effie. "Look, sweetheart, Katniss wants to stay over at a boy's house."

"He's just a friend!" Katniss jumped in, rolling her eyes dramatically. "You're making a big fuss."

"Didn't say he wasn't." Haymitch reasoned, turning back to Effie.

"Don't you have anything to say about proprietary, Trinket?"

Effie startled at the use her last name, releasing her spoon into her soup. She winced before turning to look at Haymitch very seriously.

"Do you have a suit?"

His eyebrows shot up.

"White tie, I mean." Effie paused, eyeing Haymitch from head to toe. "You probably don't, I will have to book an appointment with Tigris then. When are you free?"

Haymitch shook his head, trying to register the Effie's words. She had been distant since the morning, and he had been trying to catch her attention since she came home from work. He was still not totally sure about the events that had taken place the night before, but he was sure now that he had kissed her. And it had been good; they had been good, and it scared the absolute hell out of him. Questions were racing through his mind.  _What happened? Did I hurt you? What are we? Is this right? Do you want this? Do I want this?_

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He retorted instead, delving back to safer topics. "Katniss here," he nodded at the girl staring daggers at him, "wants to stay over at Gale's house."

Effie blinked and furrowed her brows, trying to catch up and understand what they had been arguing about.

"Gale..." She repeated slowly. "You want to stay over at a boy's house?"

Haymitch snorted, "told you."

Katniss sighed again. "He is a teammate and he lives near the competition venue, it only makes sense!"

Effie tutted disapprovingly, slowly dabbing her mouth before speaking. "It is improper, and aren't you dating Peeta? I don't think the boy will like it very much if you stay over at Gale's house."

There was a loud bang and the cutleries rattled as Katniss slammed her fists on the table. "I am not dating anyone and I am not accountable to anyone. You guys are not our parents, so quit acting like it!" With that, she turned and ran up to her room, slamming the door in the process.

A stunned silence descended on the remaining three at the table, and Effie and Haymitch exchanged a pained look. Effie stood up but Prim stopped her in her path.

"I will check on her." Prim whispered, giving the two adults a quiet smile. "Don't worry, she will calm down in a while, just give her some space."

Effie turned to Haymitch, a deep frown etched on her lips. "Should I….?" She let the question hang.

"You heard what Prim said. The girl needs some time alone." Haymitch shrugged. As far as he could tell, it was a teenage tantrum. Katniss valued her privacy, and her own mother never really acted, well, as a mother. She was probably uncomfortable with adults actually caring about her. The girl fancied herself an adult but Haymitch was not so sure she was one yet. She was still very much a teenager at heart, and that was alright in Haymitch's books. She was a pain in the ass, but she was behaving a lot better than most people her age.

Effie gnawed on her lower lip, looking down. "But…did I overstep? I did not mean to act like I'd replaced her mother. Should I…"

Haymitch cut her off, placing a finger beneath her chin, and looking at her straight in the eye. "You did nothing wrong, and there is nothing to worry about." He asserted. Effie looked towards the staircase, unconvinced. "And what is this I hear about a suit, sweetheart?" Haymitch continued, changing the subject instead.

Effie turned back and groaned theatrically. "Oh, it's mother, and this ball she is organising."

* * *

Haymitch passed Effie the glass he had just rinsed, as she stacked the plates neatly on the drying rack. "So you're saying that if we don't go for this gala thing, the kids will be taken away from us?"

He had been furious when Effie told him about her phone conversation with her mother and how they had been  _invited_ to the ball, but he had forced himself to calm down soon after she told him caveat – the kids. If there was anything the military had taught him, it was the value of composure in times of emergency. "Cool heads, warm bodies", his commander used to say. Calmness kept you alive for one more day. Hell, calmness kept him alive, period.

"Not taken away, no," Effie leaned back on the cabinet with a contemplative look on her face. "More indirect. She could cast suspicion on the authenticity of our marriage, have the judge relook the adoption plans, create more lawsuits, instability, troubles, all in hope of us separating and giving up the children."

The gears in his head were clicking into place. Megaira Trinket sounded like a harpy and he had no wish to meet her. He had dealt with people like that once upon a time, and they were like snakes – quiet and slimy, and always ready to strike. Haymitch cleaned the last of the utensils and wiped his damp hands on his trousers. "We could deal with that here," he reasoned, "We don't have to attend the gala." As far as he was concerned, the further they were from the Trinkets, the better.

"You don't know Mother." Effie sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "If anything, she is persistent."

"Well, then it makes no difference whether we attend," Haymitch countered, "I would rather fight her right here, on my own couch, than at some stuffy ball in New York."

Effie shook her head, but there was a twinkle in her eyes and a wry smile on her face. Haymitch was taken aback but he quickly realised that she had a plan. Of course, she had one. She was Effie Trinket.

"Mother would stop if she faces disapproval from those at the ball. She cares too much about her reputation and status. We don't have to convince her. We have to convince them."

"Convince who what?" Haymitch asked, utterly lost.

"Convince the people at the ball that we are in love." Effie replied.

For a few seconds, Haymitch stood rooted on the spot, mouth agape, gears whirring noisily in his mind. Suddenly, everything seemed a little muted. He needed a seat, and maybe a drink.

"Is it that difficult to understand?" Effie rolled her eyes, placing the last dried glass on the rack. "I told you the alcohol was slowing your brain down."

"In love?" Haymitch finally blurted out, still stunned by the revelation.

"Yes, in love." Effie sarcastically confirmed. "Just an act, of course. I recall someone telling me once that marriage is just a piece of paper. This event then, would just be an act."

Haymitch slowly nodded, "and once we are done, your mother would be off our backs?"

"I would think so. Apart from a few phone calls, she would probably not do anything else." Effie replied.

Haymitch nodded again. It made sense, a few days of acting in exchange for the kids and peace seemed like the best option. "And the gala, what would it be like?"

"Very formal, a white-tie event." Effie listed, "there would be an  _informal_  formal tea session at my parents' penthouse the day before. There would be biddings and auctions for charity the next day, some champagne here and there, and then a finale dinner at the botanical garden." Effie paused and grinned apologetically. "We would probably need to dance a little."

"So two days?" Haymitch winced at the thought of dancing. He never did figure out the whole hand-eye coordination thing when it came to dancing. Effie's toes would probably suffer the brunt of his affliction.

"Three. We would need to be there the day before to welcome the foreign guests. Some duchess of Belgium is apparently making an appearance." Effie paused, and took a deep breath, "and we would need to come up with a story."

Haymitch raised an eyebrow. The gala sounded more and more ridiculous by the second, and he was beginning to believe that staying at home would be a much sounder idea. At least there would be no chance of offending royalty or tripping over his own feet if he stayed at home.

"I was thinking we could keep it vague and simple, and say that we met because I was representing your friend for a case, which is true, and that you fell head over heels for me." Effie said casually.

A snort burst from Haymitch. "You mean  _you_  fell head over heels for  _me_! I wasn't the one who broke off my engagement to get married to some other man."

"Fine. It was love at first sight and we were enamoured of each other." Effie relented reluctantly. "It was mutual."

"Mutual my ass," Haymitch teased, "who insisted I turn up on time for the wedding? Scared of losing me, Trinket?", he turned towards Effie, trapping her against the cabinet.

Effie huffed, folding her arms. "Well, who insisted we sleep together on the same bed?"

Haymitch leaned in, so close that their noses were almost touching. "Then, who kissed me when I was drunk?"

Effie blinked once, then twice, and then she looked away.

"You remember." She muttered.

"I do." He simply replied.

She turned back to glare at him, poking him not so gently in the chest. "Then you should remember that you kissed me first!" Effie whispered harshly.

She pushed him away to escape from his almost embrace, and turned towards the dining table, faced away from him. "Let's remember our reason. The children. We are here for the children. Because of the children. When this is over," She turned to back to Haymitch and pointed to the space between them, "whatever we are is over." Her face was unreadable, but Haymitch had the distinct impression that she was convincing herself of her own argument.

"What are we, sweetheart?" Haymitch asked.

Effie met his eye and gave a sad, lopsided smile. "A team, Haymitch. For the children."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, how did you find this new chapter? Tell me more and tell me how I can improve. Thank you so much for reading and see you again soon :-)


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